On Friday, a court temporarily ordered filmmaker Abhinav Kashyap not to make any derogatory comments against superstar Salman Khan. As per the court, one cannot use abusive and threatening language towards an individual under the pretext of freedom of speech. Let’s learn about it in more detail.
Abhinav Kashyap barred from making derogatory remarks about Salman Khan
According to PTI, Judge P G Bhosale passed the ad interim ex parte injunction against filmmaker Abhinav Kashyap and two others during the hearing of the defamation lawsuit filed by Salman Khan. Reportedly, it was filed in a civil court, and Kashyap, along with several others, was mentioned in it. The suit has sought a permanent injunction and Rs 9 crore in damages.
The superstar took a legal route after Abhinav Kashyap gave interviews and spoke against the actor on podcasts between September 2025 and December 2025.As per the defamation suit, the ‘Dabangg’ filmmaker had made “scandalous, false, and grossly defamatory” remarks against the actor and his family. The report further revealed that apart from Kashyap, Khushboo Hazare and several other internet platforms have been named in the suit. Some of the statements highlighted in the suit include Kashyap’s alleged reference to the Khan family as “convicted criminals” and “jihadi ecosystem” members. It also cited instances where Kashyap used offensive language to describe Khan’s appearance, age, and personal life, and allegedly compared him to notorious criminals.Specific derogatory remarks were reportedly made against the actor’s father, Salim Khan, and siblings Arbaaz Khan and Sohail Khan, the plea claimed.The lawsuit, filed through advocate Pradeep Gandhi, has sought to permanently restrain the defendants from publishing any further defamatory content or interviews.The lawsuit also seeks a directive from the court to the defendants and social media platforms to immediately remove all the contentious content and tender an unconditional apology.Khan also moved the court for urgent interim relief.The court, after perusal of Kashyap’s statements in the interview given on the podcast, found they are “prima facie defamatory, derogatory, abusive, and insulting in nature.” These statements lower the image of the plaintiff in the eyes of the general public, the court said.It asserted the reputation of the plaintiff (Salman) is harmed by the defendants.Further, the court underscored that “nobody can and nobody should make any defamatory statements against anybody’s family.” Each individual has his privacy to be protected and image to be protected, the court added.On the contention of freedom of speech and expression, the court clarified, “The right to freedom of speech and expression doesn’t mean that one can use abusive and threatening language against any individual.”It then temporarily restrained Kashyap and others from making or uploading videos, posting, reposting, giving interviews, corresponding, communicating, uploading, printing, publishing, republishing, hosting, circulating, or recirculating any further defamatory/slanderous content.It also barred them from making any further defamatory content, derogatory remarks, posts, messages, tweets, videos, interviews, or communications in relation to the plaintiff or his family on any social media platforms till they appear and file their reply.
More about the Salman Khan and Abhinav Kashyap feud
Abhinav Kashyap, the director of Salman Khan’s ‘Dabangg,’ has alleged multiple times that the superstar sidelined him from the film after work was done.The movie was released in September 2010 and went on to become a blockbuster. The second part of the franchise was then directed by Arbaaz Khan.
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